Portable folding seat



Oct. 3l, 1950 w. B. HlNEs PORTABLE: FOLDING SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. l2, 1946 Oct. 3l, 1950 w. B. HlNEs 2,528,433

PORTABLE FOLDING SEAT Filed Jan. 12, 194e sheets-sheet 2 @M im 3% @wwwPatented Oct. 3l, 1950 PORTABLE FOLDING SEAT Willis B. Hines, Canton,Ohio, assigner to W. B. Hines Research and Development Corporation,Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 12, 1946, SerialNo'. 640,908

2 Claims.

The invention relates to portable seats and more particularly to afolding seat for use in stadiums, gymnasiums, row boats or other placesprovided with seats constructed of concrete, iron or wood without anyback supporting means, and the present invention is concerned withcertain improvements over the folding seat disclosed in my Patent No.2,220,865, dated November 5, 1940.

In stadiums and similar places where no overhead cover is provided theseats being exposed to the weather are cold and frequently wet orcovered with snow or ice, making their use both uncomfortable anddangerous to the health of the occupants thereof.

For this reason it is common practice for those attending football gamesor other events in such stadiums to carry cushions, blankets or otherarticles with which to provide a dry and more comfortable seat. Evenwith the use of such articles however the usual stadium seats are notcomfortable as they are generally not provided with back rests.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a portable,folding seat which may be easily carried by the user and which may bereadily clamped in place upon the ordinary seat in stadiums and similarplaces providing a dry comfortable cushion seat having a back restthereon.

Another object is to provide such a seat with a folding back rest soconstructed and arranged that it will fold down into the normal plane ofthe seat cushion so as to provide a compact artig cle which will occupya minimum of space when carried or stored.

A further object is to provide a portable folding seat comprising novelmeans for attaching a seat cushion thereto.

A still further object is to provide novel means for attaching thecovering to the seat cushion.

Another object is to provide a seat of this type in which a novel andsimple means is provided for applying a `cushioned back rest thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a removable slipcover for the back rest, upon which may be displayed any desiredadvertising matter or the names of colleges, schools or the like.

It is a further object to provide a seat of the character referred towith a hill side attachment whereby the seat may be rigidly supported inhorizontal position upon a slope or incline.

A still further object is to provide a one piece frame for the seatproper which may be formed as by die casting and which contains lcertainnovel details of construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive anddurable sheet metal.

frame.

The above objects, together with others which Vwill be apparent from thedrawings and the following description, may be attained by constructingthe various features of the improved portable folding seat in the mannerhereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the preferred form of the seat, showingit in the folded condition;

Fig. 2 a bottom plan view of the folded seat showing the clamping meansby which the portable seat may be attached to a stadium seat or thelike, and also showing the hill side attachment by means of which theseat may be held in hori- Zontal position upon a slope or incline;

Fig. 3 a side elevation of the improved seat in folded position;

Fig. 4 a side elevation of the improved seat in operative positionclamped upon the seat of a stadium or the like;

Fig. 5 a similar view of the seat showing the hill side attachment inuse to support the seat in horizontal position upon a hillside;

Fig. 6 an enlarged, fragmentary section through the metal frame showingthe manner in which the seat cushion is attached thereto;

Fig. 7 an enlarged, fragmentary section through the back rest, taken onthe line 1 1, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 an enlarged, fragmentary section through the seat cushion,showing the means for attaching the cushion pad and covering to thebase;

Fig. 9 van enlarged, fragmentary rear elevation of a portion of the backrest and an adjacent portion of one of the lever arms carrying the same;

Fig. l0 a bottom plan view of a modified form of the improved portableseat, showing the same in folded condition;

Fig. 11 an enlarged, fragmentary sectional View through a corner portionof the modified seat frame showing the pivotal connection of one of thelever arms thereto;

Fig. 12 a section on the line |2-I2, Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 a section on the line |3-|3, Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 an enlarged, fragmentary sectional ele- Vation of one endportion of the modified back rest showing an adjacent portion of one ofthe lever arms;

Fig. l5 a section on the line |5-l5, Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 an enlarged, detached cross section of the modified seat frame;

Fig. 17 a similar view through the joined ends thereof, taken as on theline I'l-l'l, Fig. 10; and

Fig. 18 a section on the line i8-l8, Figs. 14 and 15.

Referring rst to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9inclusive, the seat frame indicated generally at 20 may be ofrectangular shape and of suitable thickness to provide a comfortableseat and is formed of any suitable metal and may be die cast orotherwise formed to provide a horizontal flange 2l extending entirelyaround its inner side.

For the purpose of providing bearing surfaces for resting upon the usualseat 22 of a stadium or the like, the two opposite side rails of theseat frame 26 may be of thicker cross section as indicated at 23.

The seat proper may comprise the base portion 24, preferably in the formof a rectangular board of plywood or the like, having a pad ofupholsterers wool, sponge rubber or other suitable cushion materialmounted upon its upper surface and covered by any suitable water prooffabric material as indicated at 25.

In order to provide a simple and inexpensive means for attaching thecovering material to the base 24, a slot 21 may be formed around thefour edges of the board 24 and the edge portions of the coveringmaterial 25 forced therein as indicated at 28, by any suitable tool, soas to xedly hold the covering material in position over the cushion andattached to the base.

The board 24 is of suitable size and shape so as to just t within therectangular frame 25 and rests upon the horizontal flange 2l thereof towhich the board may be connected as by screws 2 9.

The clamping means for detachably connecting the portable seat to theseat of a stadium, row boats or the like, may be the same type disclosedin detail in my prior Patent No. 2,220,865, above referred to, andcomprises generally a bearing plate of U-shape attached to the undersideof the board 24 as by screws 3l and having the U-shape clamping member32 pivotally mounted therein and spring loaded as illustrated anddescribed in detail in said patent.

The back comprises a pair of lever arms 33, each of which may be diecast or otherwise formed of suitable metal having a box 34 at one endfor pivotal connection to the rear corner portionsV of said frame 2@ asindicated at 35, the other end of each lever armhaving an angular flange35 formed integrally thereon for connection to the back rest.

This back rest may comprise a base in the form of a board 3'! of plywoodor the like attached .to the anges 35 of the lever arms as by screws 38and having a pad or cushion 39 of any suitable cushion material cementedor otherwise fixed to its front face.

A slip cover 4U of any suitable water proof material is adapted to bedetachably mounted over the back rest and the free end portions of thelever arms as indicated in the drawings, this slip cover beingpreferably of the same material and same color as the water proofcovering 26 upon the seat.

If desired any advertising matter or the like, of any college or schoolname may be displayed upon the slip cover 40, and since these slipcovers are removable, they may be interchanged from time to time, inorder to display different advertising or school names thereon asoccasion may require.

For the purpose of limiting the opening movement of the back a pair ofpivoted links 4l is pivotally connected to each side of said frame 2B asat 42 and to the adjacent lever arm 33 as at 43 and the heads of thepivots 42 and 43 are so proportioned that they will contact each otherand stop the lever arms 33 when they reach the folded position shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 3 in which position the lever arms 33 lay along side ofthe seat frame 20 with the back rest 40 positioned just beyond theforward edge of the seat and in the normal plane thereof, whereby theimproved portable folding seat when folded occupies a minimum of spaceand may be easily carried under the arm or stored in a small space.

In order that the seat may be used upon a hill side or inclined surface,the hill side attachment shown in Figs. 2 and 5 may be provided upon theunderside of said frame. This hill side attachment comprises a singlebar or rod of metal having the central substantially U-shape portion,having the flat bar 44 joining the diverging legs 45, the ends of themetal bar or rod being then bent backward forming the legs 4G which arepivotally connected to the forward corner portions of the seat frame 20as indicated at 4l, slotted links 48 being pivotally connected to thelegs 46 as indicated at 49, the slots slidably engaging the studs 5| onthe underside of the seat frame.

When not in use this hill side attachment is folded flat against thebottom of the seat as shown in Fig. 2 and when opened up for use asindicated in Fig. 5, the legs 46 will rest upon a lower portion of theslope while the rear edge of said frame Z will rest upon a higherportion of the slope holding the seat in horizontal position as shown insaid figure.

In Figs. l0 to 18 inclusive is shown a modification of the invention inwhich the seat frame and the lever arms are made of sheet metal whichmay be rolled or otherwise formed in order to provide an inexpensive butstrong and durable construction.

To this end a single strip 52 of metal of suitable gauge is rolled orotherwise formed to the cross sectional shape shown in Fig. 16, one edgeportion thereof being folded back upon itself to substantially thecenter of the iinished frame as indicated at 53, the other edge portionbeing folded back upon itself to substantially the center of the frameas indicated at 54 terminating in the inturned, horizontal flange 55.

The ange portion 55 is mitered at suitable intervals, as indicated at55, to conform to the corners of the frame which is then bent torectangular shape as best indicated in Fig. l0, the abutting ends of theformed strip being connected by inserting a straight strip of metal 41between the body 52 and folded flanges 53 and 54 and connecting them bymeans of rivets 58.

The corner portions of the frame may be reinforced by angle irons 59located between the body 52 of the metal strip and the folded flanges 53and 54.

The seat proper may be of the same construction as above described andthe same reference numerals are applied thereto as in Figs. l to 9 andthe seat may be attached to the frame as by the screws 29 in the mannerabove described.

The same clamping members may be attached to the underside of the seatat its front portion, for detachably connecting the seat to a stadiumseat or the likeand the same reference numerals are applied to theseclamping members as in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1to 9.

The back member is formed of a metal strip bent into channel form andmitered as indicated at 69 so as to form the lever arms 33' connectedtogether at one end by the top member 6l.

In this form of the invention the back rest may, if desired, be of theform best shown in Fig. l5, comprising the base 62 which may be a boardof plywood or similar material, grooved along its upper edge as at 63, apad 64 of suitable cushion material being provided upon the forward sidethereof and a cover 65 of any suitable waterproof material entirelycovering the board 63 and the cushion 64, the edges of the coveringmaterial being forced into the groove 63 as indicated at 66.

This back rest is slidably positioned within the channels of the leverarms 33 and the top member El and in order to hold it in position eachlever arm may be reinforced by a channel strip 61 which extends from theback rest to the opposite end of the lever arm 33'.

Both the lever arm 33 and the channel reinforcing member 61 may berounded at their ends as indicated at 68. These ends of the lever armsmay be pivotally connected to the rear corner portions of the seat frameas by the screws 69, which are threaded into tapped openings 70 in thecorner angle irons 59, a spacing Washer 'H being located between eachlever arm and the seat frame.

The pivoted links 4| are provided for limiting the opening movement ofthe back in the same manner as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

If desired the hill side attachment shown in Figs. 2 and 5 may beattached to the bottom of the seat of this form of the invention in thesame manner as above described.

From the above it will be evident that a simple, durable portablefolding seat is provided which may be folded into a minimum of space oreasily carried under the arm and which may be easily and readilyattached to a-stadium seat or iii) the like and opened up to provide acomfortable seat cushion and back rest, or which may be mounted upon ahill side or slope to provide a horizontal seat.

I claim:

1. A portable folding seat comprising a seat portion, a back pivotallyconnected to the seat, a substantially double U-shape bar pivoted to theunder side of the seat and slotted links pivotally connected to thedouble U-shape bar and slidably connected to the seat for supporting theseat in horizontal position upon an inclined surface.

2. A portable folding seat comprising a rectangular seat frame, a seatcarried by the frame, a pair of lever arms each pivoted at one end tothe outside of the seat frame, an angular flat ange at the other end ofeach lever arm and a back rest comprising a rigid base, screws attachingthe ends of the rigid base to said flanges, a cushion upon the front ofsaid base and an envelope slip cover of exible material removablymounted over the base and cushion and the flanged ends of the leverarms.

WILLIS B. EINES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 64,044 Smith Apr. 23, 1867672,633 Potteiger Apr. 23, 1901 865,327 Barrett Sept. 3, 1907 1,293,778Holm Feb. 11, 1919 `1,306,306 McGregor June l0, 1919 1,767,099 StevensJune 24, 1930 1,900,486 Clarin Mar. 7, 1933 1,904,388 Riddell Apr. 18,1933 1,963,708 Marvin June 19, 1934 2,005,972 Gallop June 25, 19352,061,054 Wood Nov. 17, 1936 2,090,562 Walter Aug. 17, 1937

